Hypochlorous Acid in Dentistry
Posted by Sam Petegorsky on
While Hypochlorous Acid and HOCl Generators have recently gained popularity as a disinfectant. When it comes to Dentistry it seems to have much further reaching applications.
Dentists use ultrasonic tools to achieve various tasks (including removing plaque). Something else that ultrasonic vibrations are excellent at, unfortunately, is vaporizing liquids, a use for which it is applied in ultrasonic humidifiers. This creates an imperative for Dental Practices to regularly disinfect their exam rooms, something which many dentists are well aware of, considering the number of them who make up our customer base.
Aside for the obvious use of Hypochlorous Acid as a disinfectant in Dental Practices, there are a number of other applications for HOCl in a Dental Practice which have been gaining traction.
While as patients, we don't always know what goes on behind the scenes, maintaining a sterile environment has always been a priority in dental practices. This includes the water lines in a dentists office. Left untreated, they can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Published studies have shown that HOCl is highly effective in eliminating bacteria in those water lines.
An even more intriguing study was made regarding the use of HOCl as a mouth rinse as treatment for plaque reduction and periodontal disease. Not only was it found to be effective, but it was found to be more effective then the most popularly used commercial mouth rinse used in Dental Offices for that purpose.
Sources
General Article about HOCl in Dentistry
https://www.joms.org/article/S0278-2391(20)30672-8/fulltext
Study regarding HOCl as an Oral Rinse
Study regarding the use of HOCl in water lines
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4979282/
I am pretty open minded, and often customers of our products tell me about their off-label plans for using our products. When I get a chance, I try to do the research, so if there are any additional benefits, I can spread the word to the public. That is what made lead me to research HOCl for pest /tick control, as well as the use of HOCl in dentistry. So to those customers, thank you and keep it coming.